The recent 2020 Lunar New Year has grown into a nightmare to Chinese due to the new coronavirus outbreak. According to the latest update, death tolls have passed 250, with nearly 12,000 infections confirmed. While the United States and Australia are temporarily denying entry to noncitizens who have recently traveled to China with an expectation to limit the virus spread to their countries, Japan is going to bar foreigners having been in the Chinese province at the center of the outbreak. Is Vietnam joining these nations with the impose on travel restrictions and its visa application for the Chinese having any difficulties? This article offers an overview of the current situation of Vietnam visa application for Chinese citizens during coronavirus outbreak.

On January 31, the Vietnam government announced to stop issuing visas for Chinese tourists after the detection of 3 new cases in the Southeast Asian region. In other words, citizens from coronavirus-hit areas have to cope with visa restrictions as Vietnam highly aims to stamp out the viral outbreak.

As “the outbreak is spreading rapidly, and in a serious manner,” the Government said, even the cross-border trade between Vietnam and China is not encouraged at the moment. Imports and exports in most border gates between Vietnam and China in the northern province of Lang Son have been halted until February 9.

So far, there has been no new official announcement on removing the Vietnam visa application restriction for Chinese.

However, those who have successfully applied for the visa before January 30 can still travel to Vietnam as usual. These people must show the round-trip air ticket which is not from/to China mainland. Strict health examination procedures are inevitable upon the entry process. Therefore, it may take longer and be much more complicated when entering Vietnam for Chinese citizens. When there are signs of coronavirus infection such as fever or cough, travelers may have to go on the isolation.

Furthermore, preventive measures play a crucial role in safety assurance during your trip in Vietnam, so do not forget to wear face masks and wash hands regularly.